TSG start pre-season in front of 600 fans
The ball is finally in motion again. After a six-week break, TSG Hoffenheim completed their first team training session of the 2023/24 season on Sunday. The conditions were optimal as head coach Pellegrino Matarazzo welcomed a total of 22 players to the training ground in Zuzenhausen in the afternoon, with 600 good-humoured fans in attendance. Internationals Andrej Kramarić, Angelo Stiller, Finn Ole Becker, Florian Grillitsch, Ozan Kabak, Kasim Adams, Kevin Akpoguma, Diadie Samassékou and Ihlas Bebou, who will return to team training during the course of pre-season, were absent.
After a team-talk in a circle, the team started with various training drills in smaller groups. After just under 80 minutes, TSG's first training session of the season came to an end. "It always feels great to be back on the pitch. The weather was perfect and many fans supported us. You can feel the excitement for the new season among the boys too," said Pellegrino Matarazzo after the first session.
The players were also in a positive mood. "There's great excitement for the new season. I was absolutely delighted to see the boys again. The batteries are full again, we can hardly wait. The fans supported us in numbers, it's never been that good. Last season bonded us together," said captain Oliver Baumann, who has been playing for TSG for nine years.
TSG provided a varied entertainment programme to accompany the start of training. The HOFFEXPRESS was on site in Zuzenhausen, Hoffi dropped by for a visit and a bouncy castle was set up too.
TSG Hoffenheim's next training session will take place on Monday (11:00 CET). The training week will then be rounded off with a friendly fixture away to FC-Astoria Walldorf on Saturday (14:00 CET). The full summer schedule can be found here.